
Voice activation system
22
Voice activation system
The concept
The voice activation system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out removing your hands from the steering 
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display 
can be spoken as commands. It is not neces-
sary to use the controller.
The voice activation system transforms your 
oral commands into control signals for the 
selected systems and provides support in the 
form of instructions or questions.
The voice activation system uses a special 
microphone located in the area of the interior 
rearview mirror, refer to page14.
Precondition
Via iDrive, select the language in which the 
voice activation system is operating, so that the 
spoken commands can be identified. Selecting 
the language for iDrive, refer to page79.
Symbols in the Owner's Manual
Saying commands
Activating voice activation system
1.Press the   button on the steering wheel. This symbol on the Control Display and 
an acoustic signal indicate that the voice 
activation system is ready to receive spo-
ken commands.
2.Say the command.
The command appears on the Control Dis-
play.
 This symbol appears on the Control Display 
when you can enter additional commands. 
If no further commands are possible, continue 
by operating the item of equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice 
activation system
Press the   button on the steering wheel
or
In dialogs that call for a text of your choice, the 
procedure can only be canceled using the but-
ton on the steering wheel.
Possible commands
The commands available in each case depend 
on the menu item selected on the Control Dis-
play.
To have the available commands read aloud:
For example, if "CD/DVD" is selected, the com-
mands for operating CD/Multimedia are read 
aloud.
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for 
word. 
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice acti-
vation system.
{Cancel}
{Voice commands} 

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could bump against the rear window while the 
vehicle is in motion; otherwise, the heating ele-
ments of the rear window could be damaged.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the trunk lid/tail-
gate is opened
>To movements inside the vehicle: Interior 
motion sensor, refer to page33
>When the car's inclination changes, for 
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up 
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to 
towing away
>When there has been an interruption of 
power supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry 
attempts for a short time by means of:
>An acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with 
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm 
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
You can open the trunk lid/tailgate even when 
the alarm system is armed, by pressing the   
button on the remote control, refer to page28. 
The lid is locked and monitored again as soon 
as you close it.
Panic mode*
You can trigger the alarm system if you find 
yourself in a dangerous situation:
Press the   button for at least three seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer 
to page27.>Insert the remote control all the way into the 
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking: 
doors, hood, trunk lid/tailgate or rear win-
dow are not properly closed. Even if you do 
not close the alerted area, the system 
begins to monitor the remaining areas, and 
the indicator lamp flashes continuously 
after approx. 10 seconds. The interior 
motion sensor and the tilt alarm sensor are 
not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking: 
your vehicle has not been disturbed while 
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking 
until the remote control is inserted in the 
ignition, but for no longer than approx. 
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed 
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm 
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel 
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must 
be completely closed
*. 

Adjustments
48
Passenger side mirror tilt function – 
automatic curb monitor*
Activating
1.Push the switch to the position for the 
driver's side mirror, arrow 1.
2.Engage reverse gear or move the selector 
lever to position R.
The glass of the mirror on the passenger 
side tilts slightly down. This allows the 
driver to see the area immediately adjacent 
to the vehicle, e.g. a curb, when backing into 
a parking space.
Deactivating
Push the switch to the position for the passen-
ger side mirror, arrow 2.
Interior rearview mirror
Turn the knob to reduce glare from the head-
lamps of cars behind you when driving at night.
Interior and exterior mirrors, automatic 
dimming feature*
The automatic dimming feature of the interior 
and exterior mirrors
* is controlled by two photo 
cells in the interior rearview mirror. One photo 
cell is in the mirror frame, see arrow; the other is 
on the back of the mirror.
In order to ensure that the system functions 
correctly, keep the photo cells clean, do not 
cover the area between the interior rearview 
mirror and windshield, and do not affix adhesive 
labels or stickers of any kind to the windshield 
directly in front of the mirror.
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust the steering wheel position 
while the car is in motion; otherwise, there 
i s  a  ri s k  o f  a n  a c c id e n t  d ue  t o  u n ex p e c t ed  m o v e -
ment.<
1.Fold the lever down.
2.Move the steering wheel to the preferred 
height and angle to suit your seated posi-
tion.
3.Swing the lever back up. 

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Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually, press the lever to the 
resistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamp indicates that a turn signal indicator 
has failed.<
Indicating a turn briefly
Press the lever as far as the resistance point for 
as long as you wish to indicate a turn.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
The turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."Triple turn signal"
 Triple turn signal activation is activated and 
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or 
rain sensor
*
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
5Setting speed for intermittent wipe, or sen-
sitivity of the rain sensor
Switching on wipers
Press the lever upward, arrow 1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system switches to operation in the inter-
mittent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance 
point. 
The system switches to normal speed when the 
vehicle is stationary.
Intermittent wipe or rain sensor*
If the car is not equipped with a rain sensor, the 
intermittent-wipe time is a preset.
If the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the time 
between wipes is controlled automatically and 
depends on the intensity of the rainfall. The rain 
sensor is mounted on the windshield, directly in 
front of the interior rearview mirror. 

Technology for driving comfort and safety
90
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the 
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Head airbags
3Side airbags in the seat backrests
Protective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on 
page41 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and 
front passenger by responding to frontal 
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the 
head and side airbags help provide protection in 
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The 
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags have been designed to not be trig-
gered in every collision situation, e.g. not in 
minor accidents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the 
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or 
modify them in any other way.
Keep the dashboard and windows on the front 
passenger side clear, i.e. do not cover with 
adhesive labels or coverings, and do not attach 
holders such as for navigation instruments or 
mobile phones.
Do not attach seat covers, cushions or other 
objects not specifically approved for seats with 
integral side airbags to the front seats. Do not 
hang items of clothing such as coats or jackets 
over the backrests. Do not attempt to remove the airbag retention system from the vehicle. Do 
not modify the individual components of the 
system or its wiring in any way. This includes 
the upholstered covers on the steering wheel, 
instrument panel, seats and roof posts, as well 
as the sides of the roof lining. Do not attempt to 
remove or dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered, 
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation or 
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have 
the testing, repair, removal and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW center 
or a workshop that works according to repair 
procedures of BMW with correspondingly 
trained personnel and that has the required 
explosives licenses. Unprofessional attempts to 
work on the system could lead to failure in an 
emergency or to undesired airbag activation, 
either of which could result in personal injury.<
Warning notices and information about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the front 
passenger airbags
An analysis of the impression in the front pas-
senger seat cushion determines whether and 
how the seat is occupied. The front and side air-
bags for the front passenger are activated or 
deactivated by the system accordingly.
The indicator lamp above the interior 
rearview mirror shows the current status 
of the front passenger airbags, deactivated or  

Lamps
94
High beams/roadside parking 
lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
*
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
There is an additional option of switching on the 
lamps on the side of the car facing the road 
when parked.
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or 
down beyond the pressure point for a longer 
period, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for 
unduly long periods of time; otherwise, the bat-
tery might not have enough power to start the 
engine.<
Switching off
Press the lever in the opposite direction to the 
pressure point, arrow 3.
High-beam assistant*
The concept
This system automatically switches the high 
beams on and off. The procedure is controlled 
by a sensor on the front of the interior rearview 
mirror. The assistant ensures that the high 
beams are switched on whenever the traffic sit-
uation allows. It handles this task for you and 
gives you the benefit of the best possible view. You can intervene at any time and switch the 
high beams on and off as usual.
Activating the system
1.Turn the light switch to position3, refer to 
page92.
2.With the low beams switched on, briefly 
push the turn indicator lever in the direction 
of the high beam.
The indicator lamp in the instrument 
cluster lights up when the high beams 
are activated. The system automati-
cally switches from high beams to low beams 
and vice versa in response to oncoming traffic, 
traffic ahead of you, and adequate ambient 
lighting, e.g. on city streets.
Switching the high beams on and off 
manually
Whenever you wish, or when the situation 
requires, you can intervene:
>If the high-beam assistant switches on the 
high beams, but you would like to drive with 
the low beams, simply switch off the high 
beams using the turn indicator lever. This 
deactivates the high-beam assistant. 
To reactivate the system, briefly push the 
turn indicator lever toward the high beams 
again.
>If the high-beam assistant switches on the 
low beams, but you would like to drive with 
the high beams, switch on the high beams 
as usual. This deactivates the system and 
the high beams need to be switched off 
manually, if necessary.
To reactivate the system, briefly push the 
turn indicator lever toward the high beams 
again.
>Use the headlamp flasher as usual with the 
low beams switched on.
System limitations
The high-beam assistant cannot serve as 
a substitute for the driver's personal judg-
ment of when to use the high beams. Therefore, 
manually switch off the high beams in situations 
where this is required to avoid a safety risk.< 

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The system is not fully functional in situations 
such as the following, and driver intervention 
may be necessary:
>In very unfavorable weather conditions, 
such as fog or heavy precipitation
>In detecting poorly-lit road users, such as 
pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders and 
wagons; when driving close to train or ship 
traffic; and at animal crossings
>In tight curves, on hilltops or in depressions, 
in cross traffic or half-obscured oncoming 
traffic on highways
>In poorly lit towns and cities and in the pres-
ence of highly reflective signs
>At low speeds
>When the windshield in front of the interior 
rearview mirror is fogged over, dirty or cov-
ered with stickers, etc.
>If the sensor is dirty. Clean the sensor on 
the front of the interior rearview mirror using 
a cloth moistened with a small amount of 
glass cleaner.
Switching off via iDrive
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."High beam assistant"
 The high-beam assistant is activated and is 
stored for the remote control currently in use.
Fog lamps
The parking lamps or low beams must 
be switched on for the fog lamps to 
operate. The green indicator lamp in 
the instrument cluster lights up whenever the 
fog lamps are on.
The fog lamps are switched off while you acti-
vate the headlamp flasher or switch on the high 
beams.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<
Instrument lighting
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument 
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low 
beams are switched on.
1.Push button 1 up or down repeatedly until 
the appropriate symbol appears in the dis-
play, accompanied by the brightness set-
ting and scale the word "SET".
2.Press button 2. 

Care
226 water penetration. Follow the operating instruc-
tions of the high-pressure washer.<
When using high-pressure washers, do 
not spray against the sensors and cam-
eras, e.g. of the Park Distance Control or Rear 
View Camera, for an extended period and main-
tain a distance of at least 1 ft/30 cm.<
Manual car wash
When washing the vehicle by hand, use large 
quantities of water and car shampoo if neces-
sary. Clean the vehicle with a sponge or wash-
ing brush, applying light pressure only.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unintentional activation of the 
wipers.<
Observe local regulations pertaining to 
washing vehicles by hand.<
Headlamps
Do not rub them dry and do not use abrasive or 
corrosive cleaning agents.
Loosen dirt, e.g. insects, with shampoo or 
insect remover and wash away with copious 
quantities of water.
Thaw ice with a windshield deicer and do not 
use an ice scraper.
Windows
Clean the inside and outside surfaces of the 
windows and the mirrors with window cleaner.
Do not clean the mirrors with cleaners 
containing quartz.<
Paintwork care
Regular care contributes to value retention and 
protects the paintwork against the long-term 
effects of damaging substances.
Region-specific environmental influences can 
damage the vehicle paintwork. Therefore, it is 
important to adapt the frequency and scope of 
car care accordingly.
Immediately remove aggressive materials such 
as spilled fuel, oil, grease, brake fluid, tree sap or bird droppings to prevent damage to the paint-
work.
Repairing paintwork damage
Immediately repair scratches or similar 
damage, such as that caused by stones 
hitting the vehicle, where necessary to prevent 
rusting.<
BMW recommends having paintwork damage 
repaired by a professional paint repair work-
shop according to BMW specifications using 
original BMW paint materials.
Preservation
A preservation treatment is necessary when 
water no longer beads off the clean paintwork 
surface. Only use products for paintwork pres-
ervation that contain carnauba or synthetic 
waxes.
Rubber seals
Treat only with water or rubber care products.
Do not use silicon-containing care prod-
ucts on rubber seals; otherwise, noise 
and damage could occur.<
Chrome parts
Carefully clean vehicle parts such as the radia-
tor grill, door handles or window frames with 
copious quantities of water and a shampoo 
additive, especially when roads are treated with 
deicing salt. For additional treatment, use a 
chrome polish.
Light-alloy wheels
For technical reasons, dust is generated during 
braking that is deposited on the light-alloy 
wheels. Remove the dust regularly using acid-
free rim cleaner.
Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly 
alkaline and abrasive cleaning agents or 
steam jets over 1407/606; otherwise, dam-
age may occur.<